Chopstick holder



Dec. 3, 1968 HIROSHI ONO 3,414,310

CHOPSTI CK HOLDER Filed Oct. 31, 1966 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A chopstick holder for a pair of chopsticks to guide the chopsticks in a plane providing accurate closing of the tips using a pair of pivoted guide members with a spring member biasing the guide members to open position. Each guide member has a channel to frictionally retain a chopstick therein and one or more inwardly extending guide flanges interleaved together and joined by a pivot pin.

The present invention relates to a novel holder for a pair of chopsticks used by a diner as eating implements and more particularly to a novel rigid holder and guide for chopsticks to enable the user to freely manipulate the chopsticks and provide an effective eating implement.

Conventional choptsicks consist of a pair of separate long slender members or sticks usually formed of bamboo, which are held in one hand with one finger separating the sticks and acting as both a spacer and a fulcrum. The remaining fingers of the hand are used to bring the lower ends of the sticks together to clamp food morsels therebetween. With practice, a person can become skilled in their manipulation; however, an unskilled or occasional user of chopsticks will find the manpulation of the sticks difficult and awkward in use. The present invention provides a novel holder or retaining means for the sticks to aid in their manipulation for the unskilled person.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a holder for a pair of chopsticks to aid in their manipulation and alignment during use. The holder consists of two generally rigid members that are pivotally mounted together and have retaining means to resiliently and firmly grip the chopsticks for use. The user merely grips the chopsticks slightly below the holder and urges the lower end of the sticks together or toward each other to pick up a morsel of food; the lower ends of the sticks always remaining aligned.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a holder for a pair of chopsticks formed of a pair of generally rigid members with one member having an inner bifurcated side and the other member having a thin tongue or flange received within the bifurcations. A pivot pin extends through the spaced bifurcations of one member and the flange received therebetween to form a pivotal connection. Both the flange and the bifurcations have parallel contacting surfaces to provide and maintain alignment of the chopsticks in the holder throughout the possible or available pivotal movement allowed by the holder. Opposite the pivoting and alignment connection, each mem ber of the holder is provided with an elongated and substantially C-shaped channel at its outer edge with each having inturned edges or flanges providing a clamping portion on the channel to partially encompass and retain the chopsticks in the holder.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an elongated leaf spring secured to the flange on one holder member and located within the bifurcated portion of the opposite member to normally bias the holder members and the chopsticks to an open position.

The present invention also comprehends the provision of a holder for a pair of chopsticks which is adjustable on the chopsticks to suit the preference of the user.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the chopstick holder containing a pair of chopsticks shown in the hand of a user.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the holder and chopsticks in an open position.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the chopsticks and holder similar to FIG. 2, but in a compressed or operative position gripping a food morsel.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view of the chopsticks with the holder in a top plan view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the left-hand member of the holder showing the location and mounting of the biasing spring.

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the chopstick and member of the holder showing the mounting of the chopstick in the holder.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawing wherein is shown an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 discloses a chopstick holder 10 for a pair of chopsticks 11 and 12 to be held in the hand 13 of the user and utilized as an eating implement. The chopsticks 11, 12 generally incline from their upper gripping ends to their lower ends 14 which are moved together to clamp a food morsel 15 (-FIG. 3) therebetween; the lower ends being either generally square as shown or cylindrical for the lower portion of their length.

The holder 10 includes a pair of members 16 and 17 pivoted together by a pivot pin 18 generally centrally positioned between the two chopsticks 11, 12. The member 16 has an elongated outer edge 19 having a channel 21 formed therein to receive the stick 11, the upper end of the channel having a pair of inwardly extending clamping flanges 22 formed on the member 16 to resiliently receive and retain the stick therein. The inner dimensions of the channel 21 are such as to have the sides 23 of the channel frictionally engage the sides of the chopstick 11 when inserted therein and slightly spread the sides of the channel 21 outwardly.

Inwardly extending from the outer edge is a flange or tongue 24 of a thickness substantially less than the outer edge 19 and having top edge portion 25 and bottom edge portion 26 converging toward and generally merging into a rounded edge portion 27. The flange 24 includes an opening 28 for the pivot pin 18, and a leaf spring 29 has an upper curved end 31 embedded in the flange with the lower end 32 free to extend outward as shown in the dotted lines of FIG. 5.

The opposite holder member 17 has an outer edge 33 forming a channel for the chopstick 12 and a pair of clamping flanges 34. Extending inwardly from the outer edge 33, the member is bifurcated into a pair of parallel bifurcations or flanges 35, 35'; each bifurcation having converging top and bottom edge portions 36, 37 merging into a rounded edge portion 38. The bifurcations also have aligned openings to receive the pivot pin 18. The bifurcations 35, 35 have parallel inner faces 39, 39 which cooperate to receive and guide the parallel faces 41 of the flange 24 of member 16. Also, the bifurcations provide an inner reaction surface 42 generally parallel to the outer edge 33 of member 17 against which the outer or lower end 32 of the leaf spring 29 abuts (FIGS. 2 and 3) to normally urge the holder and chopsticks to the open position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In use, the chopsticks 11, 12 are inserted into the channels in the holder 10 and adjusted to a comfortable position for the user. The chopsticks and holder are grasped by the user in the manner shown in FIG. 1, and the chopsticks are pivoted and compressed against the force of the leaf spring 29 to pick up a food morsel (FIG. 3) to be eaten. On releasing pressure, the spring 29 will urge the chopsticks and holder to the open position (FIG. 2). The parallel faces 39, 39' and 41 of the holder members 16 and 17 accurately guide and align movement of the chopsticks so that the lower ends of the sticks are always aligned for their intended function.

Both of the holder members and the pivot pin 18 are formed of a suitable generally rigid material such as a suitable plastic which is easily formed, molded and machined. The pivot pin 18 is force-fit in the aligned openings in the bifurcations 35, 35 and the opening 28 in the tongue or flange 24 is slightly greater in diameter than the diameter of the pin 18 to allow for free relative pivotal movement between the two members. While a chopstick holder of a particular and effective shape has been shown and described by way of illustration, it is not my intent or desire to unnecessarily restrict the improvement by virtue of this limited showing.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. A chopstick holder utilized in combination with a pair of chopsticks to enable the chopsticks to be pivoted in a plane including the chopsticks and the holder, comprising a pair of rigid holder members joined together for pivotal movement relative to each other, each holder having an elongated channel formed in the outer edge thereof for reception of a chopstick, a pair of retaining flanges for the channel, said channel and retaining flanges frictionally engaging the chopstick, one of said members having a centrally positioned inwardly extending flange having an opening therein adjacent the inner edge thereof, and the other member having an inwardly extending bifurcated portion forming a pair of spaced parallel flanges receiving the flange on the first mentioned member therebetween, said parallel flanges having aligned openings adapted to be aligned with the opening in said first mentioned flange, a pivot pin received in said aligned openings, and a leaf spring having one end embedded in the flange of the first mentioned member and the opposite free end bearing against a reaction surface on the other member between said parallel flanges.

2. A chopstick holder as set forth in claim 1, in which said flange on said first mentioned member is of a lesser thickness than the channel therein, said first mentioned flange and said parallel flange being interleaved together to provide parallel guiding and aligning surfaces adapted to interact and guide the tips of the chopsticks in use.

3. A chopstick holder as set forth in claim 1, in which said holder members and pivot pin are formed of a suitable plastic material and said first mentioned flange and said parallel flanges have irregularly curved inner edges to allow pivotal movement of said members.

4. A chopstick holder as set forth in claim 1, in which said reaction surface between said parallel flanges is generally parallel to the channel of said other member.

5. A chopstick holder as set forth in claim 1, in which said pivot pin is force-fitted in the aligned openings in said parallel spaced flanges, and the opening in said first mentioned flange is of a slightly greater diameter than the diameter of said pivot pin to allow relative pivotal movement between said members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,711,339 6/1955 McGogy 29499 2,950,939 8/ 1960 Volkenburgh 294-16 3,186,749 6/1965 Dawes 29416 3,323,825 6/1967 Arirna 29416 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

